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Merran

Girl name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Merran: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 3 births in 2002.

A Scottish Gaelic form of Marion, itself a diminutive of Mary, Merran ultimately derives from the Hebrew Miriam, meaning “beloved” or “wished-for child.” The name is most famously borne by Merran of the Brac, a 16th-century Scottish woman whose legal petitions to Edinburgh’s Court of Session offer a rare glimpse into the lives of ordinary Highland women of her era. While no major places share the name directly, the etymological root of Mary is reflected in countless Scottish locations, such as the island of St Mary’s in Orkney. Today, Merran remains a quietly distinctive choice, cherished by parents drawn to its authentic Gaelic heritage, especially in the Highlands and Hebrides.